Exceptional ALS as president signed “Th: Jefferson,” one page, 8.25 x 10, March 26, 1801. Letter to Don Joseph Yznardi, Spain’s Charge d’Affaires in Washington. In full: “The Secretary of state [James Madison] is proceeding in the consideration of the several matters which have been proposed to us by you, and will prepare answers to them, and particularly as to our vessels taken by French cruisers & carried into the ports of Spain, contrary as we suppose to the tenor of the convention with France. tho' ordinary business will be regularly transacted with you by the Secretary of state, yet considering what you mentioned as to our Minister at Madrid to have been private & confidential, I take it out of the official course, & observe to you myself that under an intimate conviction of long standing in my mind, of the importance of an honest friendship with Spain, and one which shall identify her American interests with our own, I see in a strong point of view the necessity that the organ of communication which we establish near the king, should possess the favor & confidence of that government. I have therefore destined for that mission a person [Charles C. Pinckney] whose accomodating [sic] & reasonable conduct, which will be still more fortified by instructions, will ["I have no doubt" crossed out by Jefferson] render him agreeable there, & an useful channel of communication between us. I have no doubt the new appointment by that government to this, in the room of the Chevalr. d'Yrujo, has been made ["with" crossed out] under the influence of the same motives. but still, the Chevalr. d'Yrujo, being intimately known to us, the integrity, sincerity & reasonableness of his conduct having established in us a perfect confidence, in no wise diminished by the bickerings which took place between him & a former Secretary of state [Timothy Pickering], whose irritable temper drew on more than one affair of the same kind, it will be a subject of regret if we lose him. however if the interests of Spain require that his services should be employed elsewhere, it is the duty of a friend to acquiesce; and we shall certainly recieve [sic] any successor the king may chuse [sic] to send, with every possible degree of favor & friendship. our administration will not be collected till the end of the ensuing month: and consequently, till then, [three words crossed out] no other of the mutual interests of the two nations will be under our view, except those general assurances of friendship which I have before given you verbally, & now repeat. accept I pray you assurances of my high consideration & respect.”
Light intersecting folds, one through a single letter of signature, a couple mild spots of staining to bottom portion, a bit of trivial foxing, and mild show-through from docketing on reverse, otherwise clean, fine condition.
The "bickering" between d'Yrujo and Pickering refers to differences regarding the Louisiana Purchase. In 1795, the United States and Spain signed the Pinckney Treaty, which defined the boundaries of the United States with Spain's American colonies and guaranteed navigation rights on the Mississippi River, especially at New Orleans. Spain's refusal to adhere to the provisions of the treaty and the retention of some military posts fueled tensions. Jefferson also makes mention of America’s concern over "our vessels taken by French cruisers & carried into the ports of Spain." In August 1800, Secretary of State John Marshall had written President Adams ‘that compensation for every American vessel condemned by the French Consular Courts in the dominions of Spain is justly demandable from the Spanish government.’ Jefferson hopes to seek a speedy resolution to these problems, admitting to Pickering's "irritable temper drew on more than one affair of the same kind"—a reference to a quarrel with President John Adams over Adams' plan to make peace with France that resulting in Pickering's 1800 dismissal as secretary of state. Ironically, the “person” with "accomodating & reasonable conduct" appointed as minister to Spain was Pinckney ‘s brother. Jefferson clearly notes here that he did not want d'Yrujo recalled by Spain as their minister to the United States. In this letter written three weeks after his inauguration, President Jefferson clearly tells Yznardi that "being intimately known to us, the integrity, sincerity & reasonableness of his conduct having established in us a perfect confidence...it will be a subject of regret if we lose him. however if the interests of Spain require that his services should be employed elsewhere." Because of this letter, d'Yrujo was allowed to continue as Spain's representative and played an important role in perhaps Jefferson's greatest accomplishment, the Louisiana Purchase. A scarce, handwritten letter from Jefferson presidency with exceptional content! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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